Sunday 26 December 2010

Challenge 25

Here is my entry for number 25 in the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge. After the amazingly fun but frantic Twelve Tags of Christmas I've had a little break, but while the house is quiet today I couldn't resist getting a bit inky.

I've deliberately not done a seasonal theme, much as I love Santa, so thought I'd try and produce something in contrast with the permafrost that we seem to be living in at the moment. I really love snow, but I live on a steep hill, and it's a bit like a ski jump with a 90 degree bend at the bottom that has been quite a challenge for my driving skills.


I don't think it's possible to get much warmer than the Australian Outback, which is what this stamp always makes me think of. I know this is a really straight forward technique, but why do I just get splodges, I try really hard not to put on too much re inker, but always the splodges appear.
Thank you Linda for posting The Shortest Day on your blog, it is such a beautiful poem, which captures the spirit of the season so amazingly well. You have prompted me to go up into the attic and find my very old and dog eared The Dark Is Rising Sequence which I read as a teenager and just loved. They have been fantastic reading over the holiday.
Happy New Year.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Rock Candy Santa

It seems very strange not to be making a tag, after the past 12 days of fantastic inspiration from Tims amazing tags. But a change is as good as a rest, apparently, so I have made a Christmas decoration. I will use this as my entry in the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Number 24, and the December Artistic Outpost Referral Program

I have used a 4'' x 4'' frame which I've painted with cranberry acrylic paint, sanded and then stamped in gold ink with a Tim stamp. The Father Christmas is an Artistic Outpost stamp stamped in coffee archival ink and then coloured with vintage photo distress ink. I have applied a large quantity of Rock Candy Distress Stickles, but even so you can only just see the sparkle. He is really sparkling, honest!! The letters are from the Seasonal salvage Stickers, mounted on grungeboard, sanded and inked, and I've inked some ribbon with aged mahogany distress ink and used a little wire hanger that I've had for ages as a finishing touch.

Monday 13 December 2010

Eleven and Twelve

What a brilliant twelve days. I've tried out so many new techniques and materials, but I think I'm going to have a little rest after today (except I really must make something for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge).
Anyway, here are tags eleven and twelve.
I wish I'd used whiter paper for my background on tag eleven, but did have fun making my own stamp.

The top of my tree looks a bit wonky because I made it last night, and when I came to assemble my tag this morning the top had been chewed off!! I think my kitties have been up to no good over night. I did find it halfway up the stairs, so it probably didn't keep them amused for very long. A little bit of ink and it doesn't show too much.
Definitely had to use improvisation on tag twelve as I do not have that die, so cut out a bauble and inked it with Firebrick red, but it's come out really dark, and the crackle paint has gone blobby.
I used a 50p Christmas decoration for my foliage, and cut it up to get the desired effect. The photo looks a bit blurry, but this is about the fourth attempt so I don't think it's going to get any better.

Friday 10 December 2010

Tags Nine and Ten

Tag eight is missing. Actually that's because I don't have any stuff that seemed to work ie. no masks. I'm seeing a friend on Monday who has that seasonal mask, so will have to have a go at number eight then.

I just love tag nine. It's so gloriously vintage, and though Tim says it's elegant, I must admit I think its a bit OTT in a really good way.

I don't have those letters that Tim used for his sentiment, so used some pre cut grungeboard ones that I inked and covered with Glossy Accents. I've just about used up all my pearl bling, so hope there isn't much of that for the last few tags!

For tag ten I got in a bit of a pickle, as, being my usual impatient self I didn't wait long enough for my ribbon to dry. What ensued was a horrible lot of red stains on my snowman. Infact, he looked like the victim of a brutal attack!! So he is hiding behind the frosty snowflakes, with a liberal bit of repainting, which luckily doesn't show too much.

I'm off now to have a look at the fabby tags at Artyjens splinter group.

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Where's my Sticky Back Canvas?

I knew that I had some somewhere, but it has taken an awful lot of rummaging around to find it. At last I get to use it.
Tag number 7 looks truely amazing on Tims blog, mine not quite so much!!
To start I didn't have an embossing folder that looked like wood, so used one that was actually grass and a bird (cunningly concealed behind my poinsettia).


No spray on colours for my canvas, so I just swiped it with Distress Ink, and found some red and green glimmer mists that took a bit of unclogging but eventually managed to spray my canvas with these. My poinsettia is a bit fragile as I don't have a hot glue thing, so with a lot of glossy accents and much pressing it finally held together.

I now off to have a look at the fab tags over at Artyjens

Tag Number Six

I can't believe it already halfway for Tims' Twelve Tags of Christmas. I do have that reindeer die, but not the tree, so the antlers are just cut out. I really like the idea of inking the embossing folder first, a fab effect. My reindeer is minus greenery, and I am just hopeless at tiny bows, that must be abou my 15th attempt!!. Today I also got in a terrible tangle with the tissue tape. It was totally out of control, and just did its own thing,and wouldn't stick where I wanted it to.
I have to own up to being very tempted to use a tag today that I had posted a couple of weeks ago for the last CCC challenge, but had to try out those new techniques, and I'm really glad I did. I would never in a million years have thought of inking the embossing folder. Anyway, now I'm going to have a go at the next tag.

Sunday 5 December 2010

Steel Poinsettias

I can't believe that its already tag number 5. I love Tims tag, as that vintage Santa has to be one of my favorite stamps, he's just so jolly.
Quite a bit of improvising today as I didn't have any of the stash needed to make the bit in the middle. However, some grungeboard numbers, and the middle of a grungeboard frame, plus some german scrap saved the day. The embossing on my numbers went so wrong, but after a rub down with a bit of dark brown paint looks distressed rather than just plain wrong (I hope!!)

I really like the idea of embossing some metal foliage to make the poinsettia, but,blimey, it gave off some terrible fumes. Perhaps I went on heating it a bit too long, but found it really difficult to know when the powder had stuck.

Now I'm off to Artyjens to link up and look at all the wonderful tags that are being posted. I'm also going to link this to Sunday Stampers Wonderful Christmastime theme over at Hels blog.

Saturday 4 December 2010

Birds and Bling

Today I was going to go and get my new specs. But my drive and road are just a solid sheet of ice even though most of the snow has gone, so my trusty car must stay at home as must I. What on earth can I do after a perfunctory hoover and dust round.
I suppose I could make some more Tim Tags. Woo Hoo!!!
So here are number three and four.

Loved the tissue tape rosette, brilliant idea. I had to improvise when it came to the tree as don't have that stamp, but do have the embossing folder that looks the same. It seems to have worked out ok, though I did paint it with distress ink (so I stayed in the lines).

Tag four was much harder for me as I'm not really a blingy girl, more the grungy vintage type. However, after a rummage around I did find some sparkly bits and bobs I bought ages ago and had never used. I didn't have any of those facet thingies either, but did have some fragments that I'd always wondered what to do with. That alcohol ink / archival ink resist technique is pretty cool, and I'm definitely going to experiment with it a bit more when I've got the time.
The sparkly bits at the bottom that look pink are actually clear, but I think they are reflecting my red top. Can't wait to see what amazing things Tim comes up with tomorrow.


Friday 3 December 2010

Tag Number Two

OK. I have to admit this is a total copy of Tims wonderful tag, although I have used slightly different foliage and pine cone stamps, plus I didn't have any felt, so inked and stamped and embossed bit by bit.

I'm really glad this tag was a lot easier to make than the first one, as I will now, hopefully be able to keep up. Actually, even as I was typing that last sentence, I know there is really not much chance of that happening, but I'll try!
Here is a picture of Tilly helping to give the ribbons a nice distressed look. She also loves all things inky and gluey, but distress ink really messes up her fur. I'm linking my tags to Artyjens Splinter Group, where there are some amazing tags. I'm now going to have a look around the blogosphere at all the fab tags that are
out there.

Only a little bit late!

At last! My week of night shifts (12 hours at work, 12 hours off) has come to an end, and although I should really try to get a few hours sleep now I just can't wait to get going on my first tag of Christmas. It's been torture looking at Tims fab designs and not having any time to get my stash out.


I luckily have both the dies, but have used twigs from my garden for the tree, and my wreath is made from little rosemary sprigs stuck to a circle of grungepaper. So here is a bonus. My tag smells really nice!
Anyway to finish off this post here is a close up of my perfumed wreath. I really should get a couple of hours sleep now, but hope to make a start on my second tag later today.

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Embossing Mad

I've made a Christmassy tag to enter in both the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge No 23 and Simon Say Stamp and Show your Distress Inks, this week.


Actually I've gone embossing mad! The CCC this week is Double Distress, so you will need to turn to page 40 of the book to get the details about how to do this. However, once I started I couldn't stop, so as well as the embossed reindeer, I've also embossed my tag twice.

The top part of my tag has been inked with faded jeans, and then stamped with a small splattery stamp in gold to try and give a starry sky effect. The tag has then been embossed with the tree Alteration folder, and a Tim Holtz Merry Christmas stamp has been used for the sentiment, embossed in gold. The trees have been inked in pine needles DI. The snow is really sparkly in real life , and is made from Deko Ice which is the most amazing glitter.

The reindeer is diecut and embossed then inked with antique linen and Vintage Photo DI's, before being given a little red silk thread bow for decoration.

Sunday 21 November 2010

Fly Away

This weeks Sunday Stamper theme is butterflies, so here is a really simple tag. I have used antique linen and bundled sage DI's plus wheatfields Glimmer Mist for my background. and then stamped all over with little butterflies and the word fly.
The jar is stamped onto acetate and placed over the butterflies, I then stamped the lid on to some bronze metal, and left it open so my butterflies can escape. The butterflies are quite shimmery in real life, again using Glimmer Mist, but it will not show up in a photo

Twenty Five

Begining to feel that I really need to start thinking about all things seasonal, I thought I'd make a vintage Santa style tag for this weeks Something Completely Different challenge, which is numbers.
I used one of my favorite Santa stamps. and then stamped some metal with the ticket stamp, to make my number embelishment. The background is peeled paint DI and the Fabulous Flourishes stamp.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Autumnal Splatter

Here is my entry for this weeks fabulous Compendium of Curiosities Challenge (Number 22).

I've never used this technique before, and as suggested by Linda used a straw to create my splatter, as I did not have any compressed air! Not the sort of thing I have just hanging around really!!

The actual technique can be found on page 52 of the C of C's, and here is my take on it. I have to say it was both fun and frustrating in equal measure. Some splatters looked great, but then my stamping went wonky, and some splatters just didn't look good. Anyhow, I am continuing with the autumnal theme this week mostly because these are the ink colours I've got.
I've used Wendy Vecchi stamps, wild honey and rusty hinge DI's for my background and a little bit of bronze German scrap to finish my tag.
The copper ink looks nice in real life, but I can't get it to show in any photo's. This is definitely a technique which I'll be using again.

Monday 15 November 2010

Miles to Go

Here is my entry for this weeks Sunday Stamper Challenge which is Santa Claus. Finally I have made a Christmas card. I don't often make cards, and find it really hard to get going for some reason. I just sit and look at my Christmassy stamps and wonder what to do with them. I have used an Artistic Outpost stamp, Snowy Woods that I really like, with a real vintage look.

I have decided less is more, so have used just coffee Archival Ink, and faded jeans and vintage photo D I's and kept the card embellishment free.

Thursday 11 November 2010

Perfect Distress (CCC21)

I really love using Perfect Pearls and use this technique quite a lot (see page 38 of the C of C's), but I've had to have quite a few attempts before getting anything I felt remotely happy with. Was it because I thought I should do something Christmassy? Well, if it was, my Christmas mojo has definitely done a runner, so I decided to go with autumnal colours. I have a beautiful maple tree in my back garden and yesterday was gloriously sunny, so it just seemed to glow, and I've tried to use those lovely hues on my tag. I should of taken a photo because it is so lovely, but today is so stormy and wet that I can hardly open the door to my garden without getting blown over.


Sorry about the not very good photo, those pearls do create a bit of glare! I used antique linen and wild honey to ink my tag, that lovely flourish stamp and then some aged mahogany, plus heirloom gold PP's.

I think I could have left the ink to bleed for a little bit longer, but there is definitely a fine line between good and a bit blobby.

Just to finish I thought I 'd post a picture of Schroedinger, who is very fed up today because its too horrible for him to go out. He's sitting on the study/craft room windowsill looking very grumpy.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Covered in Glitter!

This snowy canvas is my entry for this weeks Sunday Stamper Challenge, and I'm hoping that little bird houses count so that I can enter this in the Something Completely Different Houses Challenge as well .

I have just used gesso and aqua paint dabber on my canvas. The tree is by Collections Elements, painted in distress crackle paint, as is the fence which is one of those fab new Tim Holtz dies.
The background is stamped with pearl snowflakes and fir trees in tumbled glass and broken china distress inks. I made some clear snowflakes using some Ideology packaging and then out came the glitter. I used Deko-Ice which has lovely big clear crystals sprinkled on the snowflakes, but I did manage to get it all over the place, my desk is now more sparkly than the Strictly Come Dancing set. The little bird house is covered in some frosty coloured paper, and also given the glitter treatment, and hangs from the tree on a little silver wire with a few little crystals on it.

Haute Couture: Gingersnap Creations 77

Here is my entry for Gingersnaps Creations Challenge No. 77 Haute Couture. No stamps of fasionable women, so this was a bit of a challenge. I found some Artchix images that I had had lurking about for ages, that gave me a bit of inspiration. The styles and 50's/60's look made me think about my Grandma's dressing table for some bizarre reason, and then I remembered being fascinated by little boxes of perfume and soap in pale lilac, pink and grey packaging. This is a shift away from colours I would normally use, but I really quite like them.
I used distress inks in pumice stone, milled lavender and dusty concorde, the stamps are Wendy Vecchi for the sewing motifs and the flourishes are Tim Holtz stamps. The dress form is covered with some lovely paper from Artchix, and a few embelishments to finish off.

Friday 5 November 2010

Grungie Snowflakes

Here is my entry for this weeks Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Number 20. I've had a break for a few weeks, but it was great to wake up this morning and feel like I wanted to make something.
The actual technique may be found on page 54 0f the Cof C's.


As you can see it's a really simple tag, but I did get to use my new snowflakes die. A bit of improvisation as I wanted a silvery look, but had no silver Alcohol Ink, Pearl paint dabber seemed to work quite well though. The tag is coloured with Tumbled Glass and Bundled Sage distress inks, and the snowflakes are stamped in Tumbled Glass and some have got Perfect Pearls on to try and get a frosty look.

Friday 15 October 2010

Taking a Break

I will be taking a break for a while as my dear and wonderful husband passed away earlier this week. I don't think I can write anymore at the moment, but know that I have made some lovely new friends, and would like to thank you so much for all the support you have given a newcomer to this world of art and blogging.
Sue XXX

Wednesday 6 October 2010

Inchie Bug

I do think I have caught the 'inchie bug'. Feeling quite pleased with my previous effort I thought I'd have a go at another one. I made my tile and the inchies yesterday and thought I would assemble it first thing this morning. In the night one or both of my kitties thought they would help, so I have had an inchie hunt, they had secreted several in their biscuit bowl and also very cleverly distressed some of them with lovely little tooth marks, so three of the inchies have been re-made this morning.
The background is Viva Ferro stamped and painted, then lightly dabbed on Inka Gold. I've used stamps from Artistic Outpost and Stampers Anonymous, paper from my Lost and Found Stack again, TSS metal and some bits of Ideology on my inchies. I've got little stories rattling around in my brain for these inchies. Not quite sure where they are going yet, but think I might make these projects into mini 'imaginary' journal covers.



Monday 4 October 2010

Inchie Allsorts

This project started off as a 5''x5'' mountboard off cut, and some of my new stash by Collections Elements that I bought at Artisan.
The mountboard is covered in a thin layer of Viva Terra and then stamped in some places to create texture, painted with raw sienna and cream acrylic paint and then I very lightly dabbed on a little Inca Gold.
The Collections Element I used is a little card with nine inchies pre cut into it. After popping out the inchies I painted the frame in Old Paper Distress Crackle Paint and after drying sprayed with Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist.
There are four stamped inchies using stamps from The Artistic Stamper and Stampers Anonymous. Two of the inchies are covered in TSS metal, embossed, aged with black acrylic paint, and then have a little Cloudy Blue Alcohol Ink on them. Some Lost and Found is covering two more, and finally, and ooh, I felt so naughty, I cut up an old Latin text book, which I have to admit I haven't looked at since 1976!! The Inchies are attatched with foam sticky to make them stand out from the frame. To finish off I added a few old watch parts and an old pen-nib.I would like to enter this project in three challenges.

Simon Say Stamp and Show Your Numbers, Gingersnap Creations No.71 Inchies and The Artistic Stamper October Challenge, Layers.

Sunday 3 October 2010

Distressed Autumn String

Here is a tag I made today that I can enter in three challenges!
Simon Says Show your Distressed /Sanded Grunge.
The Sunday Stampers Challenge 'String'.
Something Completely Differents Challenge Shades of Autumn.

My tag with distressed edges, is coloured with Rusty Hinge, Barn Door, Wild Honey and Brushed Corduroy D I's, and then the background is stamped in Coffee Archival Ink.

Next I got to play with my new Tattered Leaves Die, which I then embossed and sanded. The leaves are then coloured with some autumnal Alcohol Inks, but I just can't get this to show too well. The calender page is from my Lost and Found Stack.

Saturday 2 October 2010

Blackberry jam doesn't wrinkle!

I have had a busy week, and not had very much time for getting inky until today. Earlier in the week I picked absolutely loads of blackberries, and have made a crumble (nice) some blackberry sorbet (even nicer!!, and there's loads of it), and some blackberry jam. Finally I got some inspiration and thought I'd have a jam theme for this weeks Compendium of Curiosities Challenge (No. 16).
This weeks technique for the Compendium of Curiosities can be found on page 33, and is one that I use quite often, so thought I'd step away from my favorite blues and greens and go for some jammy red!

I have used Barn Door, Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose DI's for my background, and stamped a few Paperartsy flourishes in Victorian Velvet. The sentiment is also Paperartsy as are the flowers. The girl in the mini frame is an Artchix image, and the flowers are stamped onto gold TSS metal and coloured with Red Pepper Alcohol Ink.

Rock Candy Distress Cracklepaint has been added around the top and bottom of the tag. I got a bit impatient waiting for it to dry and applied a bit to much heat in some places, making it boil (got some funny fumes at that point) but serendipity stepped in and it looks remarkably like jam! Yesterday I went to Artisan , and came away with lots of carrier bags full of goodies! My task today is to sort out all my lovely new stash. I think I'm going to need some more storage space soon.

Sunday 26 September 2010

Quothe the raven...

Here's my entry for this weeks Sunday Stamper Challenge, the theme of which is Black, and also the 'Something Completely Different' challenge which is Birds and Arches (thank you for telling me about this Dawn ) . Thanks to Mr Edgar Allen Poe , UTEE, Perfect Pearls and a selection of stamps.



The frame for my Gothic Arch is grungeboard painted black, with some gold and green Perfect Pearls then two coats of UTEE that I have stamped into and dusted with a bit more Gold PP's.
The background is Bundled Sage and Pumice Stone DI's and the raven is stamped in Black Soot with some Pewter Perfect Pearls.



I think I'm gettting addicted to UTEE!!


Thursday 23 September 2010

Neutral Grunge

I thought that a challenge called Show Your Grunge would be right up my street,'cause I love grunge. But, it was so difficult to know what to make and I've had several false starts. Eventually I made this as a gift for a friend whose daughter who is off to study in France.
I started out with a really cheap photo frame from the local pound shop, and then gave it a couple of coats of a paint from a sample pot from B & Q. Next some splodges of Old Paper Distress Crackle paint, which when dry (is it me or does it always seem to take forever), was given a spray of Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist over the whole frame.
The collage is made from one of my favorite Artchix images, that girls expression is great, some of my Lost and Found Stack and some TH tissue tape, plus stamps from the Mini Muse collection.
I don't think I can do grunge without a few flowers, I just love making these, and have quite a stash of them now ready and waiting to go! The ticket and sentiments are from the new TH Odds and Ends collection, and the pin uses that fab Wendy Vecchi idea of filling in with Glossy Accents.

My final little embelishment is a UTEE heart coloured with gold embossing powder. I am going to enter this in two Challenges. Simon Says Stamp and Show Your Grunge, and Gingersnap Creations Color Challenge 72, Neutrals and One Color.






Tuesday 21 September 2010

Dragonflies and Bats

Here is my entry for this weeks Compedium of Curiosities Challenge Week 15. You'll have to go to page 53 of the C of CC to find out which technique it is. I have to admit it's probably not a technique I would have used if not for the challenge, so thank you Linda.

It's a pretty simple tag this week. Unfortunately my camera is not good enough to show the irridesent effect I managed to produce for the background, which I made using my favourite greens and turquoise colours, plus a tiny bit of copper ink. The colours brought to mind the shimmeryness (is that a word ??) of insects, so I had a quick rummage through my stamp drawer for this Stampers Anonymous Dragonfly. ( I'm rather partial to dragonflies as we get a lot of them in our garden during the day. At dusk they disappear, only to be replaced by loads of bats zooming all over the place and driving my kitties wild!!!). The tiny script is from an Artistic Outpost set of stamps. To finish my tag I found a little bit of shimmery chiffony material in my scrap bag which seemed to go quite well with the general theme, plus an Ideology corner, and some little black beads at the edge. I've really enjoyed this technique, the unpredictability of it is quite fun, and I think I'll be experimenting with some different colour combinations.

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Blue (and a little bit of red) CCC 14

I seem to be very short of time this week, so I have made a tag which I can enter in the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge and The Sunday Stamper Challenge this week.

The Cof C Challenge is to use masks, and Hels' Challenge is Blue and Red.



I used a Tim Holtz barbed wire mask to create the background for my tag. (On reflection, it is very much in the background, hope thats OK Linda!). The stamps are from the Mini Muse collection, and then I used some of that fabby film strip with some of the tiny pictures from my Lost and Found paper stack. The heart is made from UTEE coloured with Fired Brick Distress Embossing Powder and wrapped with a bit of wire and a bead.


My tag is finished off with some garden twine and a bit of slightly distressed Ideology

I had never used masks before, so it was good to get them out of the packet! I think I 'll have to experiment with them, plus these colours were slightly outside my comfort zone so again a good thing to try out something new.



Woohoo!!!

Not very good week, as my husband has been in hospital since Friday. However yesterday several things happened to cheer me up.
Firstly David is getting better.
Next, I am one of the lucky people to actually get a ticket for one of the Tim Holtz Paper Artsy days next Feb...... I've started my countdown, and am getting excited just typing this.
And then success in two challenges that I entered last week.
Things are definitely looking up.
I hope I'll start to feel that I need to get some inky, stampy stuff out again soon.

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Vintage Blooms

Here is my entry for this weeks Compendium of Curiosities Challenge N0. 13.
I think that Grungepaper flowers are one of my favorite techniques from the book, and I really enjoyed trying to recreate a shabby vintage look.

I started off with a chipboard base that I covered with some paper from my Shabby Vintage paper stack, sanded and then inked the edges with Brushed Corduroy DI. Next some small flourishes from Artistic Outpost were stamped around the edge. The mother and daughter photo is from Artchix, framed by a slightly distressed Ornate Bookplate, and filled with Glossy Accents. The only lace I could find was far too white, so was dunked in some tea, to give it an aged look.

The Grungepaper flowers are made according to the wonderful Mr Holtz's instructions on page 65 of the Curious Compendium. I used some collage papers from Artchix to cover the Grungepaper and cut out using a Tattered Florals die. I just love making flowers, and now have quite a few extra petals which have joined my Wendy Vecchi flowers from last week in their own little box for another day!




Sunday 5 September 2010

A Bit of Everything (GC67 Go 3D)

Well not quite, but I have tried to include my favorite messy arty things to do.

I'm going to enter this in the Sunday Stamper and Gingersnap Creations GC67 Go 3D.
This little thingy kind of evolved as it went along and I thought of more things I liked.



I started off with a small collage frame, and then embossed some metal which I then sploshed with aqua and lettuce alcohol inks, and aged with a bit of acrylic paint and stuck to the frame. I then used Viva Terra to lightly cover the rest of the frame. and stamped into it using a Paper Artsy small script stamp, added some texture with my fingers and dried getting some little bobbles and blobs in some areas. Once dry Pool acrylic paint was applied over the text, followed by a couple of layers of a paint sampler from B&Q. Next I just lightly dabbed the bobbly bits with some Pool acrylic and some Inka Gold.

I stuck some sticky back canvas on to mountboard, and inked with Tumbled Glass and Peeled Paint DIs for the central image which is a Paper Artsy Hotpick that I seem to use a lot. Next comes my recycling. The birds nest is made from the gold netting that came from a pretty decent Rioja that we had with dinner the other night! I tried to age it a bit with some acrylic paint, but it's still a bit shinier than I'd really like. The egg is a UTEE bead that I made ages ago that I knew would come in handy one day.

The words are stamped onto metal that has had the same alcohol ink treatment, and , finally, because I love all things Ideology, there is a little bird coming in to land. Again it's had the aging treatment with some paint and a bit of Inka Gold.

It's been a nice messy way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.